Possible Plan B - a follow up for clarification

I received a very pleasant inquiry about what this Plan B means, compared to the initial Plan A. This led me to suspect that a number of other contributors may be asking the same question. Here is a simplified breakdown of the implications and related consequences:

Plan A (original fundraising goal)
This initial plan involved the use of a specialized HD video camera, the quality of which is considered standard protocol for the film and video industry. For that film 'look', a special adapter is required in order to use standard 35mm camera lenses on a digital video camera. This included professional camera accessories such as a matte box, follow focus, filters, heavy duty tripod, camera monitor, and high-end professional prime lenses. Also involved in the package was the use of specialized lighting, optimized for the purposes of interviews. In addition to that, it included the use of camera dollies and track systems, for fluid camera movement.

Plan B
This is the lowest possible reduction of equipment, that is capable of a minimum level of acceptable quality. This plan involves just the Canon 7D camera, with none of the additional frills described above. This means NO specialized professional lighting systems, camera dollies, camera accessories, prime lenses or camera monitors. I would no doubt have to reign in some of my more ambitious shooting ideas and opt for a more frugal approach. But, it can still be done. This also means that a lot of the work saved in Plan A will now translate to a lot of extra editing in Plan B that is both tedious and very time-consuming. The upside is that at least I'll still have stunning footage to work with.

Any other filming demands (like dolly shots) will have to be of the DIY variety, done onsite, and with whatever nearby materials I can gather. It'll be a true guerilla independent effort, with respect to technical behind-the-scenes issues :) Again, it can be done, as Robert Rodriguez demonstrated in El Mariachi with an ordinary shopping cart :)

Hope this clear things up, as the contrast between the two options is rather stark. This means that the project can still be produced and completed, using the most fundamentally basic equipment possible. This cuts almost every corner possible, with the exception of the camera itself. Well, that and a decent general purpose lens that comes bundled with the camera. All other tools and equipment will simply have to be scrounged, hand-built or hastily re-engineered onsite.

I will be posting a final message to all participants tomorrow, after the deadline is officially met. I'll share a couple of brief thoughts, and make a final appeal for adopting Plan B, as the necessary amount has now officially been met!